Playdate: Life is Strange (11/20/2015)

Season 2 is already underway.

@sciz: Yeah I've been having loads of issues with the videos that aren't on YouTube recently :(

I think the main reason I have an issue with the "TEENS!" writing in this game as opposed to something like Twink Peaks, is that there's just not much to counter it or suggest that it is actually supposed to sound pretentious and misinformed because "that's how teens talk in real life".

To expand on that, the adults don't seem very well written either, and everyone comes across as completely fake (it's trying to show that there are more sides to people/people are complicated, but the way they act is so contradictory to themselves and the information the game is feeding you that it doesn't come across as justified or realistic at all, just mishandled) which presents a problem when the game is trying to be very real with its subject matter.

It sounds like the best is yet to come, so I can see that at least getting better-- especially if there's some solid character development and a satisfying wrap up still to come. That twist was a good start, especially if they follow through with it.

I'm finding it a little hard to hate someone whose great secret is that she loves anime.

@teddie: I think Twink Peaks is a different show ENTIRELY.

This is probably a game I would never play on my own, but I'm really enjoying watching the guys play through it. Can't wait for the next part!

Soooo you're in the principal's office with a camera, and you find all sorts of evidence corroborating the fact that (a) Nathan is a degenerate (b) his parents are blackmailing the school and (c) the school is covering all of this up. And you use that opportunity to take a picture incriminating yourself and your friend in breaking and entering the office, rather than --- oh I don't know -- TAKING A PICTURE OF ALL THIS EVIDENCE AND SHOWING IT TO AN ADULT THAT YOU TRUST (or at least, keeping it as a trump card in your back pocket ). Good job, Max.

Teens, okay?

Finally finished the game today, episode 4 is good! (and long, went in and expected it to be about the same length as the first 3 NOPE)

Can't wait until the next one, sucks it sounds like it might be awhile.

P.S. Episode 5 didn't disappoint either

In a week (and weekend) of too much work, this little thing makes me so happy.

@eedobaba said:

The anime Lupin III (or read as Lupin The Third) is inspired by Arsene Lupin. As much as the dev team is French and probably aware of the original Aresene Lupin character, it is far more likely that the California-based writer of the game's dialogue was going for the anime reference. I mean, it's an old-ass anime that is kind of a stretch for 18-year-old kids to reference in 2013, but it's more likely they'd reference the anime than reference a 19th century French detective story.

This game is definitely on my top 5 games list of 2015.

"No one has moshed since the 90s"
Well that just isn't true.

@andrewjplant: YES. I had that same thought when I saw the bugs.

Dear GBE,

please finish this game to the end even if Choose Our Own Adventure might not be a permanent stay.
Thank you.

Sincerely,

TJK

Yeah but what can you do? :) The whole thing is framed from the perspective of a teen drama kinda deal, so you're going to have the usual suspect bad guys. That also extends to the entire setup as well. The main character is like the "loser" girl in the movie that's a total babe once they remove her glasses, she's artsy, etc. you get the idea. Just like a million other stories it's trying to appeal or relate to the sort of "nerds" but at the same time makes the nerdy player character someone that the audience would rather be. If she was say an overweight math nerd it wouldn't work for most players, that's just how it is I guess.

Of course all that could change in the next episodes, so maybe we've got it all wrong. I am also a bit annoyed by the possibility that many choices you make become meaningless with such a massive shift in the story, but again that might turn out to be not the case as well. Of course the fundamental concept of being able to rewind already makes many choices minor but there are still those major ones that go with you between segments, hopefully those are not just largely thrown out the window in order to fit into the creator's intended story and plot.

As the guys said I was also surprised by the game's willingness to make such a big change, and I too give them some credit for that. But the real test will be how it plays out with your choices because otherwise it's just another movie, and not even based original ideas heheh.

I've enjoyed watching it, not sure I would've enjoyed it nearly as much playing it myself alone though. Having a couple friends to discuss choices and just joke with makes a huge difference.

Yes it does take the same old easy way for many elements of its story but it's a story I'm interested in regardless.

On a general note I'm still waiting for a game to really nail the strong narrative with true choice, to use Ken Levine's term for his upcoming work, the "narrative lego", but I don't see him or anyone else pulling it off anytime soon. A game like this nails the emotional beats as many like to say, but I'm very skeptical about the true weight of choices. Guess I'll be waiting awhile to find out.

I enjoyed them discussing the meta of what Max's remark re: the sodium chlorate meant. It's funny how tuned we are to pick up on cues.

Wow. I, too, thought it meant "move on". I guess we should be listening to Alex seeing as how he's the one that's been reviewing games for a decade and a half.

Look close and you'll see a wheelchair ramp before Max approaches the door. WHA DA FA. I predict this ends with Max having to take her own life to reset everything. That's basically what Donnie Darko and Butterfly Effect teaches us.

ARE YOU INSANE I WAS EATING THOSE BEANS

I just bought this game thanks to this video series. I have no intention of playing the game myself, but I feel the developers really deserve their money.

WoW references for dayyyyys son!

Man, as soon as I saw that ramp at the front of the house I just knew.... I should to play this.

This episode went places.

Chunky Peanut Butter all the way.

vinny dropping the it's a wonderful life reference @ 1:01:30-ish

"Now tell me exactly what you want to chow on"

vinny: "sausage"

crunch peanut butter ftw btw

Life Is Strange: I CAN FIX THIS! DEAR GOD, I CAN FIX THIS!!!

I know it's a year late, but watching this after having played it myself it such a treat. There are things that I missed that I love seeing you all find, and seeing you experience this game and all it's quirks is wonderful. I truly adore this game; I'm happy that you enjoyed it too...at least through episode three. (I have to finish the videos still.)

I know it's a year later, but replaying this made me appreciate David's character a little more; it's just unfortunate that you have to side with him to get the following scene.

Basically, if you side with David, there is a scene in the garage between him and Max that makes him more believably sympathetic. Key points:

• Email to Officer Berry showed that he covered for Chloe, and said she was with him, not at Blackwell, during the time of the break-in
• Instead of the cryptic "You'd better not wander off into the dark" (paraphrased) comment that comes off vaguely like a threat, it gets expanded into "You and Chloe better be careful where you wander. There's too many dark places into Arcadia Bay, and you've seen too much already" (paraphrased). It comes across as him being concerned for your/Chloe's safety
• His surveillance obsession at Blackwell is explained as wanting to protect Blackwell students so they don't become the next Rachael Amber or Kate Marsh (not saved on the roof in this save file)
• Most importantly, he apologises for his behaviour in the principle's officer, and comments that on how he screwed up about handling Kate Marsh

He's still a deeply flawed person, and the game could have handled him better, but he doesn't necessarily come across quite as black as the GBE playthrough painted him (for the most part).

I know it's probably not reasonable, but I would have loved if the game split into two directions with episode 4 through the end of the season where you could decide to stay in the new reality or go back to the original one.

Dec 2018 rewatch

played it and watched this playdate live but got teary there at the end